Lucid sticks multi-GPU onto video-cards

Windows Forum Admin

New motherboard no longer required
Lucid has said that its HydraLogix manufacturer-agnostic multi-GPU will no longer need an expensive new motherboard that includes the chip. Although the technology has been getting some good reviews, it seems that one of the things that has been holding it back has been fact that to use it, users need a new motherboard.

Now the company has announced plans to build the processor directly onto video-cards. Dubbed Unity, the new graphics-architecture will allow manufacturers to place the HydraLogix 200 processor alongside a GPU as if it was built into the motherboard. Buying a new video-card with one of these chips will allow you to combine it with older cards from a previous generation.

The HydraLogix chip is sold on its flexibility in that it allowing any GPU to be combined with any other on any platform, regardless of chipset or processor. Shoving it on a card will mean users will have even more options when it comes to building a multi-GPU system.

The outfit has ruled out making any add-in boards itself while PowerColor has agreed to launch a card based on the UNITY design. Smart money is on MSI and ASUS following suit.

According to Lucid, cards will be available before the end of this year for under $199 with GPUs including the Radeon HD 5770 and GeForce GTX 460 getting the HydraLogix access.

Windows Forum Admin

If this really happens, and becomes widespread, it is going to revolutionize graphics in games, GPU dependent processes (some things like [email protected] come to mind - the protein folding project), video editing, processing, and everything. It could really change the face of things, as a lot of people, such as myself, are unwilling to do SLI. But just imagine if you did SLI with multiple GPU-based cards!!!!